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Food, family and memories are as intertwined in the South as if woven on the same thread. At any function we attend, from a party to a wedding to a funeral, we are as likely to talk as much about the food that was there, as we are about why we are gathered. ~Mary Foreman

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Thursday, May 31, 2012

A classic, open-faced tuna melt sandwich of tuna, celery, sweet onion and tarragon and dressed with mayonnaise, gets a spicy kick from Cajun seasoning, hot sauce and jalapeno and is served on a toasted English muffin, topped with fresh, sliced tomato and melted cheese.

Spicy Tuna Melt

Okay, so yes. It's a simple open-faced tuna melt sandwich. But a reader recently asked me for my recipe, which of course gave me a craving for one, so I made them and I'm sharing it with y'all, because that is what a blogger of food does. Besides. It's too darned hot to cook much, or at least often, and when is the last time you had one yourself? I think it's time!

To make a melt, you could certainly use whatever type of tuna salad you usually make for the standard sandwich, and mine is fairly close to that, with the exception of a few different seasonings and the absence of eggs. I don't serve the tuna hot, though you can certainly warm it if you like. I just assemble them and pass them under the broiler, only long enough to melt the cheese on top. Since that's all the oven time you need for these, pair one of two of them up with a nice cucumber salad, or a simple green salad, maybe some fresh seasonal fruit and iced tea, and you've got a nice, light supper for these busy, hot weather days.

You'll need at least a cup of shredded cheese, but I like to add 1/4 cup of it into the tuna, along with the mayonnaise. Use whatever cheese you favor or have on hand for these. You can even use sliced American cheese and leave the cheese out of the mixture. Some folks even like tuna melts with Cheez Whiz or Velveeta.

I like to use English muffins for melts, although Texas toast is good too, but even regular sliced bread works just fine. I very lightly toast the English muffins, but you can also just leave them soft, if you prefer. Divide the tuna mixture evenly between all of the halves. Now, if you like them good and cheesy, you can add a pinch or slice of cheese right here on top of the tuna, then pass them briefly under the broiler and proceed. The cheese is real good melted into the tuna and it just makes them a little more, well, cheesy. Nothing wrong with that! I'm gonna behave though for the purposes of this tutorial at least.

Top each with the slices of tomato and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Add a couple dashes of hot sauce here too if you like.

Top each sandwich with the remaining shredded cheese. I was conservative here, but you go right ahead and add a little more if you like.

Place under the broiler and with the oven door ajar; broil just until cheese is melted. Remove and garnish with additional tarragon, if desired. I desired, but I just flat out forgot before it had its photo shoot! Serve immediately. A simple but delicious sandwich that is ready in no time and makes for a quick and easy supper, that's just a step beyond the tuna sandwich.

Preheat broiler. Mix together the tuna with the next 7 ingredients. Add 1/4 cup of the cheese and the mayonnaise; mix and set aside.

Split the English muffins and lightly toast, if desired. Divide the tuna mixture evenly among the English muffins and top each with a slice of tomato. Season with a small pinch of salt, freshly cracked black pepper and a dash of hot sauce. Divide the remaining cheese among each sandwich and place under the broiler with the oven door ajar; broil just until cheese is melted. Remove and garnish with tarragon, if desired. Serve immediately with a side salad of mixed baby greens, some fresh strawberries or peaches and a glass of iced tea.

Cook's Notes: If you prefer the tuna salad portion warm, heat it in the microwave. Can also substitute a variety of sliced cheeses, Velveeta or American cheese slices for the shredded, or use Cheez Whiz. For extra cheesy goodness, top tuna with cheese and run under the broiler first, then top with tomato and extra cheese and run under the broiler again.

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I love Swiss cheese on my 'regular' tuna sammies, so I think I'll try that. This recipe sounds so good, and the fact that I won't have to heat up the house is the best---it's so dang hot here in Texas!

Making these for dinner tonight...sounds wonderful. Thanks again for another "WINNER". So refreshing with a big glass of elixir (southern sweet tea). Also, having homemade ice cream and brownies too. Yum

While I've eaten a lot of tuna salad, I'm trying to remember if I've ever had a tuna melt - my first patty melt was just a few months ago. At any rate,yours looks very good, but I'm mostly intrigued by the delicious sounding and kicked up tuna salad.

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The classic southern plate for supper is made up of meat and three, cornbread or rolls & a tall glass of sweet iced tea.

Oftentimes what makes a recipe southern, is as much a state of mind as it is a matter of geography - Southerners simply decide a particular food is southern, and that's that." ~Rick McDaniel, Food Historian

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